What is acupuncture?
Many conditions can be treated successfully with this unique system of medicine. Acupuncture needles are very thin and there is very little sensation. There is little, if any pain associated with acupuncture, and treatments are actually very relaxing. In fact, many patients even take a nap while the treatment unfolds. Our treatment protocols include infrared heat therapy to improve the circulation and manual or electro-acupuncture to promote deep and lasting healing.
The positive effects of acupuncture begin right away at your first visit, but tend to be somewhat temporary at first and any initial improvements usually slide back within hours or days. As we progress through a course of acupuncture therapy the amount of symptom relief and the time period of increased wellness following each treatment will become more pronounced, until your body holds the changes on its own. It is important to be consistent with frequent visits at the beginning of care in order to build momentum and hold the gains we make from visit to visit.
When an injury or trauma occurs there is an initial inflammatory response which begins the healing process. When this inflammation lingers, however, not only is the blood circulation to the area impaired, but the body's vital energy becomes stagnant, too. Acupuncture sends a message via the nervous system which triggers a shift in the neurochemical balance, raises the neural-pain threshold, and releases the body from the "stuck" pattern it has been holding since the onset of the symptoms. This helps relieve the chronic inflammation and increases blood circulation, bringing fresh oxygen and nutrients to the injured area so that it can properly heal.
Scientific research is attempting to understand the mechanism of acupuncture. At this point researchers are able to measure activity in specific various body systems when an acupuncture needle is inserted:
- Increase in peripheral blood flow
- Increase in the neural pain threshold
- Release of neurochemicals similar to endorphins
- Increase in T cells and other immune constituents
- Increased activity at nerve “gates”
Thermal PET scans also show activity in the regions of the brain responsible for “pain” messages. While the logic of the meridian network continues to elude scientific observation, the Balance Method techniques often utilized during our treatments correlate most closely to neurological phenomena called "reciprocal innervation" and "the crossed extensor reflex response."
Traditional theory behind acupuncture holds that the meridian network is like a road map superimposed over the body with highways, secondary roads, on and off ramps, etc., running throughout the body. Or, you could also think of it in terms of an energetic irrigation system carrying “Qi” (pronounced “chee”- meaning “vital energy”) to nourish all areas of the body. The smooth flow of Qi is essential for good health and for healing. When the flow of Qi becomes obstructed, like a kink in the garden hose, symptoms can occur or persist. Restoring the flow of Qi through the meridians using acupuncture helps bring the body back into balance and facilitates the natural healing process.